She had waited years for this. For the chance to escape her prison. A chance that depended entirely on another's betrayal. The rocks that made up her jail cell, the darkness that consumed it gave way to light. Sea, spray and sky filled her vision. It was like emerging unto a whole new world. A world that would offer itself to her insatiable hunger. "She has given away her compass..." the monster breathed, jagged teeth dripping salivation with pure hunger. The clouds vanished, replaced with the warmth of the sun. The remaining pirates would soon remember her, and she would once again cleanse the seas of the disease they were...

"Mom, I know things are down...Jackdaw...He wouldn't want to see you like this. Back to the bottle. Wherever he is looking down upon you, you know he would disapprove." Prince sighed. Dogg nodded, "I agree, and you shouldn't push us away just because you don't want to accept the hard truth." Pearl shot them both a glare and tipped the last of the rum back defiantly. It had been two weeks since word came that Jackdaw had been lost, sunk in a hurricane he had tried so hard to outrun. Not that any of them needed official confirmation. It had come the moment it happened, when the bond was broken and Anne screamed. The frigate was also pining away at her dock, buried deep in a bottle. "I just can't believe it. After all he did, after what he had done, he is sunk in a storm? He should have died old and warm in a berth with Anne, or at least died a warrior's death in battle. This...this is beyond disrespectful to his memory." Prince murmured, "a fucking storm..." As if on que a wail sounded. Any time Anne regained any soberness she would cry. "Dogg, tend to her." Pearl murmured, knowing she could never get her son to leave her side. Her and King's only remaining child... Seeing him was like seeing King and it brought some comfort to her. Prince gently rubbed against her while Dogg moved in some attempt to help Anne. Their combined fleet had been making a grand, outrunning the Royal Navy and setting them up for life, but...Jackdaw's death seemed to numb all of it. Coin was wasted on drink after drink after drink. When Pearl had none on her and didn't want to wait for one of her ships to fetch her more she simply traded away the compass that had so far filled her voyages with fortune. Prince half thought it was why she was still alive after all of it. The loss of her most cherished item didn't seem to affect her. Not even when it spun wildly as if in protest. She was so drunk she spared no thought as to what she had just unleashed.

Victory was old enough to understand grief when she saw it. But not quite old enough to understand why. She nudged her big brother, confused. He had to think of the words to say to tell her. It was difficult. "Jackdaw, he. He sailed away to a better place. One filled with sun, warmth, leisure and treasures. A paradise. But you see...now that he's there. He can't come back. He's not allowed to leave, otherwise, he'll get hurt really bad. Really, really bad. So we, we won't be able to see him again. Not for a very, very, very long time. Understand?" "So if he's happy. Why is mamma sad?" Victory asked, not understanding why her mother would be upset that her brother had gone to such a wonderful place. "Because he left without telling her goodbye, and she won't be able to see him for a super long time. Imagine if you were separated from mamma, and you couldn't see her again until you were older than Alex. How would you feel?" "Probably, very sad." She replied. She turned and snuggled to her mother's flank. Pearl scooped her up with a sound that was half a laugh, half a sob. "Prince you have a way with words." She said. "I do my best. Surprise, surprise, Alex taught me to read and write, so I've a good knowledge on how to use the proper words." he smirked, licking his mother's deck.

It was then that a sloop came rushing into the dark harbor, looking terrified, asking around wildly for someone. A glimpse at the wanted poster revealed Black Pearl. "Sophisticated." She purred before righting herself. "Oh now who wants me?" She grumbled, knocking back one last bottle before facing the schooner. "Are you Black Pearl?" he panted. "Aye." She replied, glaring down at him. Her head was beginning to pound as the alcohol wore off. She wouldn't thank him for that. "The Dead are coming for you, Pearl. Silent Mary is freed!" Pearl took a step back, staggering. She would have fallen if Prince didn't catch her. "I've doomed us all…" She whispered. "Hold on, hold on, hold on. Whose this Silent Mary?" he asked, to which Dogg growled. "A pirate hunter. A ship turned myth turned legend. She's killed thousands of men." "She told me to deliver a message. She killed my whole convoy but spared me, she said...dead men tell no tales. She's coming for you, Pearl." the sloop whispered. "It was many years ago." Pearl began. "King's fleet was the only thing standing in Mary's way. She, decimated them and it was only because of a clever trick I pulled that I was able to imprison her in the Triangle. But now, if what this ship is saying is true and she is truly free. Then there is no place on God's green earth that can protect any ship with a black flag." "Perhaps there is." Dogg murmured, "a way to defeat her...and free the vessel I love." he tucked the chest deeper under the bunk in his stern cabin. "Dogg, it doesn't exist!" Pearl said. "You think I haven't looked myself!" "You should go mamma. Maybe you can find a fix and then you won't be so sad." Victory squeaked. "Then who will watch over you, little one." Pearl asked. "I've been giving thought to that and I don't know how much you'll like it." Prince rubbed his head as Dogg went to scheming. "No, not yet!" Pearl begged. She had just lost one child. To willingly give one away was more than she could bear. "Hear me out. She's old enough to understand. If we keep her there is a very good chance she'll end up a snack for this monster you released! So, send her where Mary will never go. London, right up the Thames. Have Alex raise her as his own...make him trust her with his life...and one day when the time is right, wham! She'll kill that son of a bitch and be in control of the Royal Navy. We'll be in control of the Royal Navy! What do you say to that?" he grinned. "I say its risky, its foolish and its unfair to place so much in the hands of a child." Pearl replied. "I can do it mamma!" Victory squeaked. "Sweetheart…" "Uncle did many wrongs to you. I must make it right." Victory replied. "Ah, but… Ooh." Pearl embraced her. "You are so brave my little girl."

The black ship was a stand out in the harbor but she managed to avoid the worst scrutiny nonetheless. It probably helped that she flew white canvas. Not her favorite choice but Black Pearl did what she had to to remain inconspicuous. Her uncle was somewhere nearby, she could sense it and she wanted to avoid him at all costs. When she did spot him he was facing away from her, his attentions focused solely on something else. Curiosity driving her, Pearl moved in closer seeing that the source of Alexander's attentions was his commander who was giving the man o'war quite the rubdown. Pearl, despite her hatred of human contact, felt slightly jealous. She looked back to her deck where her shipling was resting. She got a good vibe from the man and as she couldn't nor wouldn't dare approach Alexander so she waited, stuffing herself into a narrow tight berth.

She had no idea how her presence was detected but when it was, Alexander's commander left his warship and seemed to have some sense because he tossed him a chunk of meat before he left ensuring her uncle wouldn't follow. Pearl hunkered down when she realized he was heading towards her. She had no idea what he would do. He could easily capture her, take her into his own fleet if he wanted. Instead a gentle voice asked "You alright miss?" She looked at him, and kind blue eyes met hers (one of them was glassy). They say eyes are windows to the soul and once again Pearl got a very strong good vibe from this man. So, she made her decision. She plucked her daughter off her deck, ignoring her protests. When the man realized what she was doing he held out his arm and she gently plopped her shipling into his grasp. He grunted, a bit surprised by how heavy the little thing was. Pearl spoke for the first time. "Her name is Victory." She said. "Victory, good name." He said. "Take care of her." Pearl asked, backing out of her dock. If he was surprised by being designated as the shipling's "parent" he didn't show it. Instead he looked down at his new charge. Victory's green eyes met his and the shipling stared up at him with the cutest gaze. "I will." He promised but when he looked up again, Pearl had vanished. The mother nowhere to be seen. "Well then little one, guess you're mine now." He sighed. "Hey Alex, look what I found!" He shouted at his warship.